Cory Schneider is back in town! He was the only Canuck I saw carrying his hockey bag in the parking lot before practice.
Elder and Higgins laugh during a drill.
Yo yo yo! How is everyone? Hockey is back! Tuesday I had the chance to head out to UBC. What a day it ended up being? I dropped my son off at daycare and headed to the rink. It was pouring down rain and my car was overheating just a little I noticed. As I got closer to the rink my heating gauge in the car was as high as it could go meaning my car was majorly overheating! I got to the rink parked in the parking lot turned my car off and it started "smoking" from the engine? To top it off I didn't see any players cars parked in their usual spots. There I was sitting in my car, in the rain, no practice and my car was smoking. I popped into the rink to see if I could get any clues if maybe there was in fact going to be a practice. I couldn't find a single clue.
I headed back out to my car. I called my mechanic Dave, he said bring the car up. I called BCAA and they said they would send a tow truck. It was going to be about a 45 minute wait for the tow truck, what is a girl to do? I started returning phone calls and emails as I waited in my car.
After about 30 minutes needless to say I was getting cold. I had seen a few local reporters around seeing if there was a practice as well. I was about to throw in the towel and ask the tow truck driver for a ride home (when he finally got there) and all of a sudden I saw Kevin Bieksa pull up in his usual spot followed by Dan Hamhuis a minute later. Jason Garrison pulled up next and parked and right behind Garrison was Alex Edler. As Garrison and Edler were plugging their parking meters I saw Cory Schneider get out of Garrison's car grab his hockey bag and head inside. Cory Schneider was back! Practice was on! Finally I saw Malhotra pull up and run inside. All of this unfolded feet away from me. My car by this time had stopped smoking and the tow truck driver was supposed to be there any minute.
I decided to head into the arena. BCAA said they would give me a call when the tow truck driver was close. When I got into the rink there was a slew of players. Not only was there Bieksa, Hamhuis, Garrison, Elder, Schneider and Malhotra on the ice the Sedins were there plus Higgins, Lapierre, Jannik Hansen and Andrew Alberts!
All I can say is this was a fun fun fun practice to watch. Coach Dragicevic was running drills and the players were having so much fun. They were on the ice for about an hour.
Eventually the tow truck driver called me, he was in the parking lot. I ran out in the rain handed him my keys. I opted to stay for the rest of practice instead of take the ride home I was offered. I went back in the rink after watching my car get hooked up to the tow truck, It ended very shortly after. The players popped off the ice and one by one they were stopped by press. The press were happy to have something to talk about, the players were saying "hi, how are you?" to the press who some hadn't seen in months. All in all it was a great practice and in an odd way I can thank my car for overheating. If I hadn't had to wait at the rink I would have just left and not seen such a great practice. The only thing I am not looking forward to is the bill from my mechanic but Dave usually gives me a good deal so I can't complain.
Below read a little bit about one of the guys I will miss the most when the Canucks return to Rogers Arena, Milan Dragicevic! Enjoy X
I headed back out to my car. I called my mechanic Dave, he said bring the car up. I called BCAA and they said they would send a tow truck. It was going to be about a 45 minute wait for the tow truck, what is a girl to do? I started returning phone calls and emails as I waited in my car.
After about 30 minutes needless to say I was getting cold. I had seen a few local reporters around seeing if there was a practice as well. I was about to throw in the towel and ask the tow truck driver for a ride home (when he finally got there) and all of a sudden I saw Kevin Bieksa pull up in his usual spot followed by Dan Hamhuis a minute later. Jason Garrison pulled up next and parked and right behind Garrison was Alex Edler. As Garrison and Edler were plugging their parking meters I saw Cory Schneider get out of Garrison's car grab his hockey bag and head inside. Cory Schneider was back! Practice was on! Finally I saw Malhotra pull up and run inside. All of this unfolded feet away from me. My car by this time had stopped smoking and the tow truck driver was supposed to be there any minute.
I decided to head into the arena. BCAA said they would give me a call when the tow truck driver was close. When I got into the rink there was a slew of players. Not only was there Bieksa, Hamhuis, Garrison, Elder, Schneider and Malhotra on the ice the Sedins were there plus Higgins, Lapierre, Jannik Hansen and Andrew Alberts!
All I can say is this was a fun fun fun practice to watch. Coach Dragicevic was running drills and the players were having so much fun. They were on the ice for about an hour.
Eventually the tow truck driver called me, he was in the parking lot. I ran out in the rain handed him my keys. I opted to stay for the rest of practice instead of take the ride home I was offered. I went back in the rink after watching my car get hooked up to the tow truck, It ended very shortly after. The players popped off the ice and one by one they were stopped by press. The press were happy to have something to talk about, the players were saying "hi, how are you?" to the press who some hadn't seen in months. All in all it was a great practice and in an odd way I can thank my car for overheating. If I hadn't had to wait at the rink I would have just left and not seen such a great practice. The only thing I am not looking forward to is the bill from my mechanic but Dave usually gives me a good deal so I can't complain.
Below read a little bit about one of the guys I will miss the most when the Canucks return to Rogers Arena, Milan Dragicevic! Enjoy X
Jannik Hansen and Andrew Alberts having a laugh during practice. I was so excited to see these guys! Hansen is one of my favourites and Alberts looks like one of the easiest going guys on the team. I once saw Alberts break 3 sticks working on his slap shot during practice last year. When a trainer handed him his 4th stick on 7 or so shots he was told he was cut off!
Jason Garrison was also at practice Tuesday. Both Garrison and Edler were MIA on Monday.
Again the press! It is crazy to watch. You hear the cameras taking photo after photo after photo. I had more fun watching them then the players at times.
More press. They get right up there and you hear the click of the cameras; click click click click click!
My Favourite Coach Dragicevic!
I have said it before I will say it again, I love Milan Dragicevic! At first like most head coaches I encounter I was intiminated to say the least. I certainly wouldn't want to end up in his dog house as a player.
I dont' know Dragicevic's schedule but I can tell you it seems like he is on the ice running drills with the Canucks when he could be working on upcoming games with his team or taking some time for himself.
Weather he is on the ice with the UBC Thunderbirds and Canucks or just the Canucks, Dragicevic runs a tight ship. He is involved in all the plays and always has both eyes on the ice. There are two things I love about Dragicevic's practices. First if you are on the losing team during a drill guaranteed you will be doing push ups. I have seen players do more push ups then ever before and I laugh every time. Second I love the "Dragicevic End of Practice Team Cheer" were everyone huddles in the center of the ice and says a little something before skating off.
Here are a few facts about Milan Dragicevic:
1) Dragicevic was hired in 2002 and is the 9th head coach in UBC history
2) Dragicevic was born in Dakovo, Croatia and grew un in Edmonton
3) Dragicevic was part of Team Canada at the 1999 under 17 World Junior Championship and brought home a bronze medal
4) Dragicevic coached the WHL's Vancouver Giants for two seasons
5) and finally Dragicevic has two children and I have seen him hulling around hockey bags with his children a few times out at UBC on the weekends
And that is Milan Dragicevic in a nut shell.
I dont' know Dragicevic's schedule but I can tell you it seems like he is on the ice running drills with the Canucks when he could be working on upcoming games with his team or taking some time for himself.
Weather he is on the ice with the UBC Thunderbirds and Canucks or just the Canucks, Dragicevic runs a tight ship. He is involved in all the plays and always has both eyes on the ice. There are two things I love about Dragicevic's practices. First if you are on the losing team during a drill guaranteed you will be doing push ups. I have seen players do more push ups then ever before and I laugh every time. Second I love the "Dragicevic End of Practice Team Cheer" were everyone huddles in the center of the ice and says a little something before skating off.
Here are a few facts about Milan Dragicevic:
1) Dragicevic was hired in 2002 and is the 9th head coach in UBC history
2) Dragicevic was born in Dakovo, Croatia and grew un in Edmonton
3) Dragicevic was part of Team Canada at the 1999 under 17 World Junior Championship and brought home a bronze medal
4) Dragicevic coached the WHL's Vancouver Giants for two seasons
5) and finally Dragicevic has two children and I have seen him hulling around hockey bags with his children a few times out at UBC on the weekends
And that is Milan Dragicevic in a nut shell.
Never one to just watch a drill unfold, Coach Dragicevic is shooting pucks at the players. He always has both eyes on the guys. I can tell he is having a good time working with the Canucks and why wouldn't he!
Coach Dragicevic behind the bench with his UBC Thunderbirds.
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